Magic Kingdom is Disney World’s most popular theme park. In fact, it’s the number one theme park in the world in terms of attendance. The majority of Disney World vacationers will visit Magic Kingdom first, and there’s a good chance that they’ll spend the majority of their time visiting the park. So today, Guide2WDW is answering the question every Disney World guest wants to know: What are the best rides at Magic Kingdom?
It makes sense! With 35 rides, shows, and interactive games, Magic Kingdom has the most attractions of any park at Disney World. With so much to do, it can be a little overwhelming to try to figure out what you should do and what you should skip. Time is money, especially on vacation, and especially especially when you’re visiting Disney World.
This ranked list will tell you which are the best rides at Magic Kingdom, and which rides you might be fine skipping. The list is divided into three sections:
- Rides & Attractions You Can Skip at Magic Kingdom – These attractions either have a very narrow audience (like rides intended only for small kids) or don’t quite have the same level of theming and innovation as other rides.
- Good Rides & Attractions at Magic Kingdom – These rides give the theme park its character and charm, but they usually aren’t worth a long wait.
- The Best Rides & Attractions at Magic Kingdom – These are the essential, must-do rides and shows that best represent the Magic Kingdom experience.
Update 04-13-2023: With the opening of Tron Lightcycle Run, we have updated this list to include Magic Kingdom’s newest and fastest roller coaster. Earlier this year, Splash Mountain closed at Disney World, so we’ve removed it from this list. Due to its unique combination of thrills and story, we had ranked it at #2. We’re hoping to love it just as much when it reopens as the reimagined Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
#35 – 28 – Magic Kingdom Rides & Attractions You Can Skip
Only go on these if there is little to no wait, usually under 10 minutes. From little diversions to glorified carnival rides, these rides should be your lowest priority, and many guests will be fine skipping them. The best way to experience these attractions is to kind of stumble upon them and say “Hey, this has no wait, let’s jump on.”
35. The Barnstormer
This Goofy-themed ride is a simple roller coaster aimed at small kids. It has one lift hill, and that’s it. If your child has never done a roller coaster before, this is a great first option before graduating to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which has two lift hills, or even Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which has three lift hills and is much more intense.
If you don’t have small children, you can safely skip this ride.
34. Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station
This attraction is an adorably themed water playground located in Storybook Circus. The train cars and zoo animals squirt out water, and letting you run around, splash, and get soaked to your heart’s content. It’s really aimed toward kids – I’ve never seen an adult splash ‘n’ soaking (No judgment if you’ve run through on a hot Orlando day – I get it). If you have a toddler or little kid, this is a good option for letting them get their wiggles out and cool off during a hot day. Just remember to bring a change of clothes! This is low on the list just because there isn’t much else to this attraction.
33. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Legend has it that Walt Disney came up with the idea for Disneyland while watching his daughters ride the carousel at Griffith Park. Having a carousel is in the DNA of any Disney Park featuring a fairytale castle. Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland wouldn’t be the same without a carousel. Buuuuuut this is just a carousel. It’s a gorgeous and iconic carousel. It’s definitely a little kid favorite – when my niece was 3, she was obsessed with the carousel over every other ride at Disney World. However, since the experience is so similar to carousels found in parks and malls across America, I would suggest to skip this unless you have a kid who would love it or there’s no wait for it.
Magic Kingdom Tip: Try lifting the sword out of the stone right in front of this ride.
32. Frontierland Shooting Arcade
This shooting gallery arcade game lets guests take a fake rifle and shoot at 97 different targets within a Wild West scene. When this attraction opened up, the rifle actually shot tiny projectiles, but the game is completely electronic now. I usually skip this ride, as it costs an extra fee to be able to play. Disney sometimes makes this game free to play, which makes it a fun interactive diversion. If it isn’t free, I’d save my money for a Dole Whip or Mickey Bar.
31. Tomorrowland Speedway
There was a time when this was one of my favorite rides at Disney World, and that time was when I was 8. Tomorrowland Speedway gives kids a chance to drive a car around a race track. Thankfully for other drivers, the cars are restricted to a rail, so there’s no way to deviate far from the middle of your lane. Some kids will get a kick out of this, but the noise and gasoline fumes are huge negatives that really bring into question what this ride is doing in Tomorrowland.
30. Mad Tea Party
Most people just call this ride “the tea cups.” It’s one of Disney World’s most iconic rides. But if you get motion sickness, it’s also a vertigo-inducing torture device. The Mad Tea Party spins you right round, baby, right round, which might be your favorite thing. For me, I always skip this ride in Fantasyland, because I just can’t stomach it. This is a well-themed carnival ride, but there’s much better ways to use your time at Magic Kingdom.
29. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Magic Kingdom has three aerial spinners, which is basically a carousel that takes you up into the air. Located in the middle of Adventureland, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin is the newest of these three, and you could make an argument that three was one too many. It doesn’t quite have the charm of Dumbo and it definitely doesn’t have the heights of Astro Orbiter. Don’t go on this ride unless there’s a short line.
Magic Kingdom Tip: Beware of the camels outside the entrance of this attraction. They have a tendency to “spit” water.
28. Astro Orbiter
Another aerial spinner, but this one takes you way way above Tomorrowland. This is Disney World’s tallest spinner, and it will give you great views of Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle. Wait times for this ride can get lengthy due to the low capacity, which knocks it down the list. If you don’t mind heights and there’s a short wait, this is a good attraction to go on.
#27 – 14 – Good Rides & Attractions at Magic Kingdom, But Don’t Wait Too Long
These are rides and attractions that add to the vibe and character of Magic Kingdom. They aren’t must-dos for every trip I make to Disney World, but they are all worth going on at least once at some point on your vacation.
27. Main Street Vehicles
The fleet of vehicles that go between Town Square and Cinderella Castle completely add to the ambiance and charm of Main Street, USA. Whether you’re on a horse drawn carriage or the double decker omnibus, you’ll be transported back in time as you ride past tourists rushing to the next ride. While technically transportation, the point of this attraction is to just slow down and enjoy the ride.
The main knock against this attraction is that the vehicles only run during part of the day, usually just in the morning.
26. The Hall of Presidents
An animatronic show in Liberty Square starring everyone who has been elected President of the United States. This show doesn’t have the same grandeur and entertainment value as The American Adventure in EPCOT. Plus there’s the whole issue of certain guests being vocal about their views of whoever the current President is. It is really neat to see 46 animatronics on stage at once, and with a 25 minute runtime, it’s one of the best ways to get an air conditioned break at Magic Kingdom.
25. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Another aerial carousel that spins you around in the air, Dumbo is a classic Magic Kingdom ride. I would even consider it a rite of childhood passage. The “dueling Dumbo” design means that this doesn’t have the capacity issues of Magic Kingdom’s other two spinners, which results in shorter wait times. But your kids might not mind the wait, as there’s a really awesome playground located in the queue. If you have a toddler, this is a must-do at Magic Kingdom.
Be sure to check out our Magic Kingdom Toddler Guide for more ride recommendations tailored for little ones.
24. Liberty Square Riverboat
Like Main Street Vehicles, this is a lovely, relaxing ride that enhances the feeling of this section of the park. This steamboat takes you on a gentle ride around the Rivers of America, which is the body of water that runs from Liberty Square to Frontierland and surrounds Tom Sawyer Island. This boat ride is a great changeup that makes for a more well-rounded day at Magic Kingdom and adds to the experience.
23. A Pirate’s Adventure – Treasures of the Seven Seas
Magic Kingdom used to have a park-wide interactive card game called Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, Disney shut down that attraction. Guests looking for an alternative to Sorcerers should now head to Adventureland, because A Pirate’s Adventure – Treasures of the Seven Seas is an interactive scavenger hunt type experience. There are several missions that take you around Adventureland, where you’ll interact with some pretty neat special effects. Each mission takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. In the past, if you completed enough missions, you would receive a FastPass (now Lightning Lane) for Pirates of the Caribbean.
22. Swiss Family Treehouse
Take a hike high above Adventureland. This is a great way to work off those Dole Whip calories – although, if we’re being honest, calories don’t count at Disney, right? An opening day attraction, Swiss Family Tree House is a walkthrough attraction that lets guests explore the dwellings of the Swiss Family Robinson. This attraction gives you some of the best views of Magic Kingdom, and it almost never has a wait, so it’s worth doing
Steer clear if you don’t like heights or can’t handle stairs very well.
21. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
A cute adventure with Pooh bear and friends. I’ve always been a big fan of the Tigger bouncing section. Although I’m still wishing that they’ll replace this one day with Pooh’s Hunny Hunt from Tokyo Disneyland.
20. Tom Sawyer Island
Tom Sawyer Island is awesome. Guests take a raft across the Rivers of America to find an island full of winding trails and caves. It’s a fun place to get away from the Magic Kingdom crowds and explore. The whole island feels like a giant playground, giving you that childlike sense of wonder and discovery.
If you are visiting Magic Kingdom with kids, spending an hour at Tom Sawyer Island will be a welcome break and change of pace. It will give your kids a chance to run around and let off some of that pent-up energy from waiting in line.
19. Walt Disney World Railroad
Like the carousel, trains are a huge part of Disney Parks DNA. Walt Disney’s fascination and obsession with trains is what led him down the path to building Disneyland. Some have described Disneyland as Walt’s train set, so it’s awesome to be able to ride in a full sized steam train around Magic Kingdom.
With stops in Main Street, Frontierland, and Storybook Circus, the WDW Railroad is a good way to get from the front of the park to the back without having to navigate the crowds.
18. Country Bear Jamboree
A rootin, tootin ursine revue. If you wanted to see a cast of comical animatronic bears sing country music, this is your chance. This show is silly, fun, and a Frontierland classic. I’ve also found opinions on Country Bear Jamboree to vary wildly. Some people would consider this their number one all time attraction, while some go on this once and don’t get what the big deal is. Personally, I love Country Bear Jamboree, but it’s not quite part of my must-dos every time I visit Magic Kingdom.
It’s an old fashioned show, for better and for worse. But where else can you see a bear in a cowboy hat strumming a guitar?
17. Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
This family friendly comedy show in Tomorrowland is set after the events of Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. The monsters have discovered that giggles produce way more energy than screams, so “laughter is what they’re after.” The technology behind this show is incredible. Improv performers interact with the audience from a remote location, and the monsters on screen are convincingly animated in real time. The result is a silly show that makes cartoon characters feel real.
16. Mickey’s PhilharMagic
While the title features Mickey Mouse, this 3D movie is really Donald Duck’s show. Right before a big orchestra performance, Donald steals Mickey’s Sorcerer hat, and he is transported through different classic Disney movies, like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Yes, Donald Duck did the multiverse way before Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
Projected on a super-wide screen and featuring fun effects, this is a really fun way to experience some classic Disney songs, such as A Whole New World, Just Can’t Wait To Be King, and, now, Coco’s Un Poco Loco.
15. Peter Pan’s Flight
This is a classic Fantasyland ride that opened with Magic Kingdom theme park on October 1, 1971. It is an extremely popular ride, so it might be a little controversial that it’s far down on this list. Peter Pan’s Flight puts guests in a flying pirate ship and takes them on a ride that glides over London and Neverland. It’s incredibly charming, and being able to ride above the show scenes is the secret sauce that makes this ride so special.
However, it can get some of the longest lines at Magic Kingdom. At 3 minutes, it’s a relatively short experience for such a long wait. I’d strongly recommend making this one of your Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane priorities if you purchased Genie Plus, or going on this right when the park opens or right before park closing for the shortest wait.
14. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
This dark ride puts you in an omnimover that you can spin on command, gives you a blaster, and lets you shoot targets to earn points. While a much more immersive and advanced shooting gallery compared to the Frontierland Shooting Gallery, this ride definitely shows its age compared to Toy Story Midway Mania at Hollywood Studios.
There are some fun sets and secret targets to hit, but the game can be a little frustrating since the blasters are attached to the ride vehicle, and the red laser dots can be hard to identify.
#13 – 1 – The Best Magic Kingdom Rides & Attractions
If my time was limited at Disney World, I would pick these attractions at Magic Kingdom over everything else. These thirteen rides and shows represent everything that’s great about Magic Kingdom: some family friendly thrills, some old school animatronic shows, and some Imagineering wizardry. These are the best rides and attractions that put the magic in Magic Kingdom.
13. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow. This animatronic show features a rotating theater, where the audience seating section moves from scene to scene. Even though this show first debuted in the 1960s before eventually being moved to Disney World, the rotating theater still feels novel. Carousel of Progress tells the story of how technology transforms the life of a family as they move forward in time, starting at the turn of the 20th century and ending up in a “modern” scene that needs some updating. Although bonus points for this ride predicting the metaverse and unreliable voice assistants.
12. Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
Featuring Magic Kingdom’s most detailed queue, Under the Sea is an omnimover dark ride that tells an abridged version of The Little Mermaid, complete with the most popular songs from the movie. The “Under the Sea” show scene and the Ursula animatronics make this ride worth the wait by themselves.
11. The Enchanted Tiki Room
This animatronic musical show is a transplant from Disneyland, featuring singing birds, dancing flowers, and chanting tikis. It’s magical to see the whole room come to life bit by bit as each number gets performed. The technology is definitely dated, as evidenced by the clicking you hear from all the robots throughout the show. But even to this day, The Enchanted Tiki Room remains enchanting, and that theme song is as catchy as ever.
10. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (Magic Kingdom)
Take a tour above Tomorrowland on the PeopleMover. The PeopleMover is a gentle, moderately paced ride on a track that gives guests a bird’s eye view of the future-themed land. This ride has great narration and some memorable sections, like when you glide past a partial model of Walt Disney’s original vision for EPCOT the city or when you ride through the Space Mountain building.
This used to be a hidden gem that never had a line, but now the word has gotten out.
9. it’s a small world
They call it the world’s happiest cruise for a reason. This family-friendly boat ride takes guests on a cheery ride around the world, with many different cultures and languages represented. The message is as positive as the “it’s a small world” song is catchy.
With vibrant, colorful scenes, this classic ride is a must-do at Magic Kingdom.
8. Jungle Cruise
As a new dad but longtime fan of dad jokes, I am a sucker for puns. So I guess I’m a sucker for the Jungle Cruise. This boat ride takes you on a trip through the rivers of the world, while you see animatronic animals and explorers on each side. At the head of the boat is a Skipper, who narrates your journey with a variety of giggle-inducing jokes and wordplay — or groan-inducing, depending on their delivery.
The recent updates added some much needed juice to this ride, as it not only removed some problematic elements, but also added some great visual gags and more monkeys. And who doesn’t love monkeys?
7. Space Mountain
While Space Mountain gets the lowest ranking of Magic Kingdom’s famous mountains on this list, it’s still an out of this world ride. This roller coaster puts you on a rocket ship and blasts you into space at blistering speeds… of 30 mph.
It isn’t the fastest coaster out there, but the fact that the ride is completely in the dark makes it thrilling nonetheless.
6. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
This here is the wildest ride in the wilderness! Rolling through indoor and outdoor sections, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of the most intense rides in Magic Kingdom, especially from the back row. However, don’t let that scare you off. This is still a relatively approachable coaster, and the Wild West setting and rock work make it even more incredible.
For some reason, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad feels more intense at night. We definitely recommend heading to Frontierland and going on this ride after dark.
5. Happily Ever After
Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks show combines jaw-dropping pyrotechnics with dazzling projections on the castle and along Main Street, all set to a fantastic soundtrack that will get stuck in your head for weeks (or in my case, years!). Happily Ever After may be the best fireworks show that Disney World has ever had, so it’s great that it finally returned in April 2023.
While there are plenty of spots to watch the fireworks other than Main Street, we definitely recommend trying to get a good view of the castle from Magic Kingdom’s hub at least once during your trip. Being able to watch the projections along with the fireworks takes this nighttime spectacular to the next level.
4. Pirates of the Caribbean
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho! This lengthy boat ride in Adventureland takes you past scenes of pirates battling, looting, and getting up to all sorts of misadventure. With expansive scenes, a cast of animatronic scallawags, and an all-time theme park soundtrack, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of Disney’s iconic attractions for a reason. With a drop at the beginning, there’s even an element of thrill to start off your adventure.
Like any great Disney ride, there is just so much to see in every scene. Pirates of the Caribbean is a ride that you will appreciate more on repeat rides, as you’ll catch more bits of dialog or notice new details that you never saw before.
3. Tron Lightcycle Run
Tron Lightcycle Run is the newest ride at this theme park, and it makes an incredible first impression. With an exhilarating 0-60 mph launch, Tron is by far the biggest and fastest roller coaster at Magic Kingdom. With a unique motorbike-style ride vehicle, Tron delivers an impressive feeling of speed throughout the ride.
If you’re concerned about how intense Tron is, you don’t need to worry about your trip into the digital frontier. Tron Lightcycle Run is incredibly smooth and features no inversions, and it does not feature the intense forces that you find on Rock N Roller Coaster. For such a big and fast roller coaster, Tron still remains pretty accessible to anyone who is tall enough to ride. That makes it a great fit for Tomorrowland and Magic Kingdom.
The only knock against the ride is that it can feel a bit short at one minute long. Personally, I think it’s because the ride peaks at the beginning with the launch. The indoor section has some really cool effects and some fun twists and turns, but it doesn’t have a huge “wow” moment like the launch. Even still, Tron is incredibly fun, and easily one of the best roller coasters at Disney World.
If you’re interested in riding Tron, be sure to check out these must-read articles:
- How to Ride Tron Lightcycle Run: Virtual Queue and Lightning Lane Guide
- The best row to sit on Tron Lightcycle Run
- Tron Lightcycle Run Motion Sickness and Accessibility Guide
While I think Tron is a better roller coaster than the next ride, there are a few elements that put Seven Dwarfs Mine Train above Tron as a Magic Kingdom attraction.
2. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Located in the middle of Fantasyland, this family friendly roller coaster has two lift hills (plus a mini drop at the beginning), making it a really great first coaster for little kids. Two things set Seven Dwarfs Mine Train apart. First of all, it’s buttery smooth. What really puts this ride over the top is the show scene inside the gem mine, which features all Seven Dwarfs rendered as pretty incredible animatronics. At this point, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train slows down for a bit and lets you enjoy the scene.
By having a drop, a dark ride scene, and then a final drop, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is exceptionally paced. Even though it is also a short ride, it gives more of a feeling of satisfaction than Tron, which feels like it ends a little abruptly. While Tron delivers the bigger thrills and will please coaster-lovers more, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is the better overall attraction due to the pacing and inclusion of animatronics.
They’re both great rides, though.
Silly, spooky, scary, and sensational. This dark ride in Liberty Square takes you on an silly and scary trip through a haunted house. Haunted Mansion established some theme park highs that other attractions rarely match.
This ride shows how powerful it can be when the queue is part of the experience. The outdoor area is just the prelude: the gravestones with witty epitaphs set the scene. Once you reach your first Cast Member who greets you with deathly deadpan, you’ve entered a new world. The stretching room features some of the best visual gags in Disney World. And you’re not even on the ride yet!
Once in your Doom Buggy, every scene is a classic. The Ghost Host narration manages to be equal parts clever and sinister. The ghost effects are still convincing, 50 years later. Haunted Mansion is a theme park treasure, and Disney World has one of its finest iterations in the Magic Kingdom.
How to Plan a Magical Magic Kingdom Day
Planning a trip to Disney World? This guide is just the beginning. Get in touch with our friends at Vacationeer for free Disney World vacation planning. Their travel agents can help you plan your vacation for no extra cost. They’ll make sure you get the most out of your visit to Magic Kingdom and the other WDW theme parks. Plus, they are Disney experts, so they’ll have their own recommendations and advice.
Don’t miss our Disney World guides, which help you learn the basics of planning a WDW vacation. Our Guide 2 Disney Genie and Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Guide will help you spend less time waiting in line for Magic Kingdom’s best rides and attractions. Plus, we have Magic Kingdom Tips, the Best Days to Visit Magic Kingdom, a in-depth section on Magic Kingdom Rides & Attractions, a Magic Kingdom Character Guide, as well as Magic Kingdom Dining and Restaurants.
Let Us Know Your Thoughts
Let me know in the comments below: Did I put any ride too low? Too high? What do you think the best attraction is at Magic Kingdom?
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